NREL Visitor's Center

Riley Conrath

James Harris

Natalie McQueen

Andy Merskin

Jeffery Smith

Ian Tan

RMCAD / SUMMER 2012

DESIGN SYSTEMS / CD 3040

YOU ASKED USto solve a few problems

Create a new way to promote the Visitors Center.

Engage a 20-to-30-something demographic.

AS DESIGNERS our first step was to research

SITE VISIT / AUDIT

EXTERNAL RESEARCH

“ the VISITORS CENTER aims to...”

Build Awareness

Engage Visitors

Educate on Renewable Energy

Foster Community

Have Fun

Become Aware Anticipate Engage

Planned school trip Sees banners Sees signage Tours exhibit Recieves game to take home Plays game at home

Media (article, news feature)

Invited to VC event by friend

Searches NREL in Facebook

Word of mouth

Stay ConnectedArrive

Join event

Sees pre-event content, materials and comments posted on Facebook

Tours exhibit

Attends event

Sees identity on event collateral (presentation, handouts, etc.)

Sees post-event content on Facebook Shares content on his/her own Facebook page

Posts follow-up comments and questions on Facebook

Enters and sees front desk

Encounters sculpture

Sees banners Sees signage

Invited to VC event by friend

Searches NREL in Facebook

Word of mouth

Join event

Sees pre-event content, materials and comments posted on Facebook

Tours exhibit

Attends event

Sees post-event content on Facebook Shares content on his/her own Facebook page

Posts follow-up comments and questions on Facebook

Invited to VC event by NREL

Established relationship with NREL

Join event Tours exhibit

Attends event

NREL Visitors Center Experience Map

COMMUNITY

EDUCATE INFORM

ENGAGEGame, Identity

Exhibits

PERSONA: AGES 6–17

COMMUNITY

EDUCATE INFORM

ENGAGEIdentity, Events

Identity, FacebookExhibits, Events

Facebook, Events

Events

PERSONA: AGES 18–35

COMMUNITY

EDUCATE INFORM

ENGAGE

Identity, FacebookExhibits, Events

Facebook, Events

Events

PERSONA: AGE 35+

COMMUNITY

EDUCATE INFORM

ENGAGE

Identity, FacebookEvents

Facebook, Events

Events

PERSONA: INDUSTRY

CREATING THE first point of contact

It reaches out to a wide demographic.

U.S. FACEBOOK USERS bY AGE

Source: Facebook

50.94% of the U.S. is on Facebook.

Has 130 friends.

Spends over 700 minutes/month on Facebook.

Creates 90 pieces of content each month.

THE AVERAGE FACEBOOK USER:

13–17

18–34

It functions as a hub for NREL events and information.

Delivers a rich experience to our target audiences.

WEB 2.0 COMPANIES

It’s free!

PERSONA PROFILE

THE STRUCTURE is the symbol of the VISITORS CENTER

IDENTITY IDEATION

Geothermal Solar Biomass HydroWind

ENERGY SOURCES SYSTEM

SIGNATURE DEVELOPMENT

Geothermal

Biomass Wind

GIVING YOUR VISITORS A memorable EXPERIENCE.

ENTRANCE BANNERS IDEATION

ENTRANCE BANNERS DEVELOPMENT

HydroWindSolarGeothermal Biomass

ENTRANCE BANNERS IMPLEMENTATION

IDENTITY IMPLEMENTATION

ENTRANCE SCULPTURE

EXHIBIT CURRENT LAYOUT

EXHIBIT CURRENT

EXHIBIT CURRENT FLOW

EXHIBIT INVENTORY

EXHIBIT CATEGORIES

Introduction Who we are.

Application How we harness it.

Generation Where it comes from.

EXHIBIT NEW FLOW

Introduction

Application

Generation

EXHIBIT NEW LAYOUT

EXHIBIT COMPARING FLOWS

BEFORE AFTER

EXHIBIT CURRENT SIGNAGE FORMAT

EXHIBIT PROPOSED SIGNAGE FORMAT

EXIT BANNERS IMPLEMENTATION

TAKING HOME the EXPERIENCE.

EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENT GAME

RICHES throughENERGY EFFICIENCY

a family game1. Brainstorm some rewards

your kids will want.

(For example: Trip to the ice cream

store, family game night, etc.)

2. Cut out achievement cards

(see inside this sheet) and write

rewards on them.

3. Explain to the kids that you’re

sending them on a scavenger hunt for

opportunities to save energy. How-

ever much money they can save the

family over the next year, you’ll buy

them something worth that much.

Show them the achievements, too.

4. Help out with the scavenger

hunt. They may need help with

math and electrical safety.

5. Add up the savings!

for each appliance is how many

kilowatt-hours it uses per year. Use

this formula:

(Wattage × Hours Used Per Day) ÷

1000 × Days Used Per Year = Yearly

Kilowatt-hour (kWh) consumption

If your appliance lists amps instead

of watts, multiply the amps by 120 to

get the watts.

6. Award achievements. (Put

them up on the fridge.) Help the

kids decide how to spend their

windfall, and make the purchase

with them.

7. Decide how you’ll spend the

same amount of money on yourself

next year…

RICHES throughENERGY EFFICIENCY

a family game1. Brainstorm some rewards

your kids will want.

(For example: Trip to the ice cream

store, family game night, etc.)

2. Cut out achievement cards

(see inside this sheet) and write

rewards on them.

3. Explain to the kids that you’re

sending them on a scavenger hunt for

opportunities to save energy. How-

ever much money they can save the

family over the next year, you’ll buy

them something worth that much.

Show them the achievements, too.

4. Help out with the scavenger

hunt. They may need help with

math and electrical safety.

5. Add up the savings!

for each appliance is how many

kilowatt-hours it uses per year. Use

this formula:

(Wattage × Hours Used Per Day) ÷

1000 × Days Used Per Year = Yearly

Kilowatt-hour (kWh) consumption

If your appliance lists amps instead

of watts, multiply the amps by 120 to

get the watts.

6. Award achievements. (Put

them up on the fridge.) Help the

kids decide how to spend their

windfall, and make the purchase

with them.

7. Decide how you’ll spend the

same amount of money on yourself

next year…

ACHIEVEMENT

Sensor Sweep

Figure out the yearly energy draw of five (5) appliances in your home.